An evaluation methodology to assess the accuracy of a tracking system in the case of horse races description and experimental validation

Abstract

All sorts of positioning systems exist and there is a growing demand nowadays in order to provide users with additional data in many activities. Horse racing is no exception and the PMU (Paris Mutuel Urbain) is in charge of driving the project concerning the deployment of a tracking system. PMU is Europe’s largest betting operator. It is an Economic Interest Grouping (EIG), whose mission is to finance the French horse racing industry. The specifications of the tracking system to be implemented are quite tough: an accuracy of positioning of 25 cm for more than 98% of the time during races for all the horses. A call for proposals has been issued and a few competitors have been hired in order to demonstrate the real performances of their system in a so-called “pilot” phase. The problem we now have is how to evaluate the real accuracy of the system in real conditions, i.e., during “simulated races.” Additional aspects are also of uppermost importance, such as the latency and the way data are displayed, but the present paper will only focus on the evaluation methodology used for the positioning accuracy assessment. An incremental validation approach was set up in order to allow the competitors to gradually improve their solutions, from the “easiest” tests (with cars) to the “most difficult” ones on horses during simulated races. Note that all competitors proposed a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)-based solution using an RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) approach.

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Acknowledgments

We want to thank Charleine Potin and Hicham Biar from Trimble/Spectra Precision for their help and support in optimizing the use of the reference receivers, PM800 and SP80. We would also like to thank Olivier Louit from Deauville race track and Paul Chambon from the TERIA network for their valuable support and availability. Last but not least, we are grateful to J.M. Denoix for the very valuable discussion concerning the dynamics of horses.